Brigadier Anura Deshapriya Gunawardena who ordered for the shooting of unarmed civilians during a protest in Rathupaswala, Weliweriya in 2013, was remanded today by the Gampaha Magistrate till May 31.
Weliweriya victim
Gunawardena was produced before courts this evening after he was arrested when he arrived at the CID to give a statement in connection to the incident which left three people including a 14 year old child dead, and at least 33 injured, where villagers demanded access to clean drinking water. Gunawardena led an army contingent to control the protest, and later ordered the army to shoot the civilians.
Earlier, the CID arrested three other army officers, a sergeant and two corporals in connection to the incident and they too are in remand custody. However in their statements they had said that they were junior officers and were merely carrying out orders given to them by their senior officer, who was Gunawardena.
The incident happened during President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency, and when his brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the secretary to the ministry of defence. Soon after the shooting, Gunawardena was sent to the Sri Lankan embassy in Turkey, where he was stationed in an official capacity. The move sparked outrage, with many critics pointing out that instead of taking action for his wrong doing, the government had promoted him, which was absolutely unacceptable. However, following the change in the presidency and the government in 2015, Gunawardena was recalled back to the country, and the CID commenced an investigation into the incident.
K.Pillai / May 25, 2017
In 2013 the Lankan Armed services were running all civilian matters. They controlled the drinking water protest the only way they knew – through raw force. Things have changed a bit – now only the N&E are under army control.
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Native Vedda / May 26, 2017
Jimmy Softy the Dimwit——————- What do you have to say about this war zero, a tribal leader of a tribal army of a feudal country ? Since 2009 there have been hundreds of diplomatic appointment from the ranks of war criminals. Please type with ten fingers.
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siripala / May 26, 2017
“during a protest in Rathupaswala, Weliweriya in 2013, “
Vatura! Vatura! Tatte Hamuduruvo Maturala…
so the scum governing the island are interested in the majority vote.- sigh!
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Samuel Jayaweera / May 26, 2017
Also should be investigated as to why Rajapakshe regime did not even listen to any kind of investigation would have been interested in terms of any harm being done to them at the incident.
At least current govt to go after these men – at least today should be appreciative.
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Leelawathie / May 26, 2017
Weliweriya victims should be offered considerable amount of compensation for the damages.
These should be charged from the wealth collected by Rajapakshe men.
They have got them in and out of the country. Nothing seems to have done on searching for their fund grabs yet- This is becom,ing allergic to us who kept faith on this goverment thinking that they would serve us with the justice.
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Naman / May 27, 2017
The previous regime ministers, Prime Ministers and Rajapaksa Family should at least these victims plus all other victims–Journalists, MPs,
The current Government is just making noises but no real concrete actions had been taken so far and people are really getting disgusted.
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Good Sense / May 26, 2017
Yes, before 2015, military presence was visible. But in ALL provinces now, police presence is visible. Its short-comings are felt by the public. I am not condoning the incident but that could be the reason for targeting a police vehicle in the Northern Province in a shooting.
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Amarasiri / May 26, 2017
Male War Heroes Training Women War Heroes in the Sri Lanka Army..-
–SRI LANKA GUARDIAN : ARMY TORTURE————————————————————————————————————————
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-046PwrX1Uo
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Gemunu Putha / May 26, 2017
Brigadier Anura Deshapriya Gunawardena is a war Hero. Gotha the then Defense Secretary gave the orders to to shoot and disperse the protesters.
Brigadier Anura Deshapriya Gunawardena the war Hero and a Sinhalese Buddhist should be given pardon and be released without any charges.
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Native Vedda / May 27, 2017
Hunu Putha ——————–“Gotha the then Defense Secretary gave the orders to to shoot and disperse the protesters.” ————————- Under Nuremberg Principle IV Gota’s order was not a defense. By now you should have realised that killing innocent people cannot be justified in any mitigating circumstances. A war criminal is a criminal is a war criminal. When you let those war criminals to live among civilians those criminals become habitual offenders and expect automatic impunity. ———————————————————————————————————————–Will you still treat the war zeros as war heroes if some of them gang raped your daughters, grand daughters, wife, sisters, sisters in law, nieces, mother, grandma’s, aunts, … your mistress, then shoot them at point blank distance after being tortured for a prolonged period, mutilate the bodies? Will you join the gang and have fun even though the victims are happened to be your close relatives and they too are Sinhalese Buddhists ?
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isharath / May 26, 2017
Calling army and expecting them to act like police is whose mistake? Why do we need army’s protection to police for civilian matters most of the time?
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Burt / May 26, 2017
This and worse have been happening day in and day out in the North under military control. The cries of the civilians have gone on deaf ears. Even the police refuse to entertain complains of the civilians.
Although minute in numbers the same thing happens in the south and everyone is concerned about law and order. LOL
Its not a joke. Karma is a B itch.
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Rajash / May 26, 2017
“War Hero Turned Diplomat Remanded For Killing Sinhala Civilians”>>>>>Sinhala civilians? >>>>>why not just “civilians”?>>>>>>>>perhaps he also killed “Tamil Civilians” during the war, but he is not remanded for that crime?
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Burt / May 26, 2017
Because so much of Tamil Civilians have been killed, raped and tortured but NO one seem to be giving a hoot.
Now the chickens have come home and the fun begins.
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Native Vedda / May 27, 2017
Burt —————————————–Please note what Dr. Harsha de Silva said “”I am a proud Southerner and a Sinhala Buddhist. I have no desire whatsoever to align with the Tigers and betray my country,” — -interview to Al Jazeera on 2014-11-25.
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Good Governance / May 26, 2017
You are right. Why identify the ethnicity of the civillians killed? We cannot run on doubts. If he is proved to be responsible for the deaths of other civillians then he should be dealt for that as well. That is good governance.
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Amarasiri / May 26, 2017
Rajash
Under Rajapaksa’s war heroes can kill Sinhala Civilians, Tamil Civilians, Muslim Civilians etc. Then they are given diplomatic posts overseas, if needed.
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Real Sivan Sankaran Sarma / May 26, 2017
Killing Sinhalese civilians is a crime but killing Tamil civilians is applauded and nothing done
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Sie.Kathieravealu / May 29, 2017
Who said “Killing a Tamil is a crime”.
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Douglas / May 26, 2017
Let us not mix this “Rathupaswala Killing” with the armed struggle against the LTTE. These are two different subjects poles apart that must be looked at and analyzed. “Rathupaswala Struggle” was a civilian protest against an environment pollution committed by an “Industrial Unit” that led to the contamination of drinking water resources of the area. In short, it was a “environmental threat” that created a “Human Problem” of survival. This struggle was not an “overnight” affair; but a struggle that continued for some time, during which period both the Government and the particular “Industrial Organization” should have listened to the protestors and brought about a solution. In this matter, the solution was ultimately “found” after a number of “Unarmed Lives were “taken away” by the intervention of all powerful “Armed Men In Uniforms”. Since that “struggle” was neither directed to “threaten ” the existence of a Government nor the Armed Men and Women in Uniform, who ever who got “Directly” or “Indirectly” involved must be made ANSWERABLE and ACCOUNTABLE for that MASSACRE. The people must therefore learn NOT TO ALLOW that “WAR HERO MEDAL” to be used and abused for blatant violations of law and order of the country. Please do not term that “WAR HERO” to be a LICENSE TO KILL.
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Pandi Kutti / May 26, 2017
The only creature confused is you. Your Sinhalese Sri Lankan armed forces Police and government was deliberately targeting and killing innocent Tamil civilians on the pretext of fighting the LTTE. They killed over 143000 in May 2009 and thousands before that and ethnically cleansed over a million . This is why the UN is investigating . Whom are you trying to fool.?
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Yasin / May 26, 2017
This is a brief, unbiased and good comment by Douglas
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / May 27, 2017
I t was a very biased comment, and only biased racists like you will call it unbiased. As per his comment killing Tamil civilians was fine and he was trying to find lame excuses to justify it. Stating that they were fighting against the LTTE is no justification for killing hundreds of thousands of innocent Tamil civilians and chasing over a million from their homes and lands. Where was the LTTE when they deliberately targeted homes orphanages, schools, Hindu temples and Christian churches indiscriminately from the air sea and land. They even asked the civilians to gather at specific no fire safe zones and once they gathered there started bomb and systematically kill them. Stop trying to give excuses Sinhalese racist. One Sinhalese killed it is a calamity hundreds of thousands of Tamils killed it is not and is justified by a racist Sinhalese establishment and population
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Socrates / May 26, 2017
Absolutely nonsense, Never ever tries to glorify the civilian killers on the name of ………….
Any kind of justifiable war has a NORM. The soldiers who were involved in killing innocent civilians, Raping girls, elderly civilians got an outstanding performance to be qualified as a Diplomat, even the UN was tarnished by recruiting a cold blooded murderer to be an advisor to SG. His superiors were very happy as they have washed the murders with the UN.
“Every action has its pleasures and its price.”
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Jim Softy / May 26, 2017
This is all digging garbage bins for political reasons. When Police is not capable of keeping peace. So, Army is asked to control the situation. Army is not there to request them asking them to behave. Instead, control the situation.
So, this is completely political mud-slinging in order to catch one specific person. they are looking for something for that.
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Saroja / May 26, 2017
The judiciary in SL has been known for protecting the perpetrators when the atrocities and violations emanate from the state sector. The Sinhala dominant judiciary has to get the check and balance act right now that they will be fair at least for their own at least. If such standards are maintained judiciously, without the intervention of Buddhists extremists, the check and balance act of government structure will earn the confidence of all masses in the Lankan island. One can hope that mass atrocities like 1971 and 1987-9 will not be committed any longer in SL. We could even extricate ourselves from the condemnation of international community and the pressure to form a hybrid court.
The determination point that claimed by the government that each act of armed forces is the responsibility of their own. It seems that command modus operandi has been reiterated during the training of armed forces in SL that if the command is not in line with the basic International Humanitarian Law or Natural Law then the soldiers have the right to disobey the command.
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nimal / May 26, 2017
Police and everyone know who gave the order to shoot so speak out brigadier as the uneducated uncultured filth will never return.
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Srilal / May 26, 2017
Enough of this bull crap , who gave the orders to this so called war hero to shoot at the unarmed civilians ? is this going to be another Prageeth Ekinalgoda type drama ? these so called war heroes tend to be very loyal to their former boss ;thus, they are very reluctant to reveal the real truth ! case in point , Anura Senanayake , Ekinalogoda murderers et al.
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Patriot / May 26, 2017
This is while the Kurumbetti LTTE pilot goes Scot free.
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Native Vedda / May 26, 2017
Pathetic Patriot ————————– Of course. Hence start an independent investigation to cover the period from 5th April 1971 to date. You should be charged for different crimes, abuse of common sense and insulting the intelligence of vast majority of people along with Dayan the war monger.
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Mudson Amarasinghe / May 26, 2017
The real hero is the man who fights even though he is scared.”
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shankar / May 26, 2017
he should be jailed for at least 10 years.This will send a message to the armed forces in future.
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MirakRajBanda / May 26, 2017
He’s only the bullet but the Trigger and the Gun are safe and sound as usual President or not Defence Secretly or not!!!
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Nimal / May 26, 2017
If these officers are found guilty should be punished and no one is above the law.
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Burt / May 26, 2017
SRI LANKA WAR “HERO’s”
“There was no rape, insisted Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias, who was dispatched to Haiti to investigate the 2013 case. He may not have been the best choice for that job — Dias had been accused of atrocities in his own country’s vicious civil war.
Dias didn’t talk to the accuser, he told The Associated Press, nor did he interview medical staff who examined her. But he did clear his soldier, who remained in the Sri Lankan military.
It wasn’t the first time that Sri Lankan soldiers were accused of sexual abuse: In 2007, a group of Haitian children identified 134 Sri Lankan peacekeepers in a child sex ring that went on for three years, the AP reported in April.
In that case, the Sri Lankan military repatriated 114 of the peacekeepers, but none was ever jailed.
In fact, Sri Lanka has never prosecuted a single soldier for sexual assault or sexual misconduct while serving in a peacekeeping mission abroad, the AP found.
The alleged abuses committed by its troops abroad stem from a culture of impunity that arose during Sri Lanka’s civil war and has seeped into its peacekeeping missions.” – AP
Disgrace for the whole country.
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Rasputin / May 26, 2017
According to Gotabaya these were officers of the worlds most deciplined fighting force. #fightersagainstcivilians
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Burt / May 27, 2017
Disciplined: yes the whole world knows it. How low of a low-life have you got to be to rape and steal from destitute?
Vasu should be asking this question from Gota and his “Zero’s”.
“The government had no information about the gold belonging to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who were in welfare centres immediately after the war, Parliament was told yesterday.”
If there is a honest investigation they will soon find out a different Aachi also left a “Ratharan Malla”.
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Fathima Fukushima / May 27, 2017
They were killed because they are CHRISTIANS.
Why everybody misses this point?
Gotabhaya Rajafucksa is responsible for this war crime. Why is he still above the law? He has killed Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Buddhists (Matale mass grave).
Shame on Srilanka war crimes capital.
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GrandMuftiOfRationalism / May 28, 2017
What has not been mentioned is the protocol, which the army has to follow when faced with an advancing mob. A marker has to be placed at a point, by a soldier, and a warning given. The first person that crosses this line will be shot. Was this followed. This is part of the training of all officers.
There is a classic case where Dr Colvin R De Silva, was faced with this situation, and he honourably avoided the issues by withdrawing and taking another path, without opportunistically sacrificing innocent human lives..
Very much later in time the same officer, now very much senior in the army, met Dr Colvin in more friendly times. An interesting, but friendly, conversation ensued, which most people will be aware of.
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